logo
Mourinho's Fenerbahce paired with Feyenoord in Champions League qualifying. Benfica gets Nice

Mourinho's Fenerbahce paired with Feyenoord in Champions League qualifying. Benfica gets Nice

Yahoo4 days ago
NYON, Switzerland (AP) — José Mourinho will take his Fenerbahce team to Feyenoord in the Champions League third qualifying round after the draw was made Monday.
Fenerbahce, which finished runner-up in the Turkish league, will go to Rotterdam for the first leg on Aug. 5 or 6 and host the return in Istanbul on Aug. 12.
The winner will advance to a qualifying playoffs round in August with a place in the lucrative 36-team league phase at stake.
In other pairings between teams that did not win their domestic league, Benfica will play the first leg at Nice and the winner of the second qualifying round clash between Salzburg and Brann will host Club Brugge in the first leg.
Benfica and Salzburg — which plays the first leg against Brann in Norway on Wednesday — have an early start to their European season after returning from the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
Benfica's season ended June 28, losing to eventual champion Chelsea in the round of 16, and Salzburg played until June 26 in the group stage.
Also in the Champions League qualifying section for non-champions, the winner between Rangers and Panathinaikos will advance to play Viktoria Plzen or Servette.
Games in the second qualifying round are completed July 30,
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Newcastle consider Sesko amid Isak uncertainty
Newcastle consider Sesko amid Isak uncertainty

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Newcastle consider Sesko amid Isak uncertainty

Newcastle are exploring a move for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko in case Alexander Isak departs this summer. Isak has not travelled with the Magpies for their pre-season tour of Asia as he considers his future at the club amid interest from Liverpool. Sesko was heavily linked with Arsenal until the Gunners shifted their focus to Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres. Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea were also keeping tabs on the Slovenia international earlier in the window. Newcastle will only attempt to sign the 22-year-old, who scored 13 goals in 33 Bundesliga appearances last season, if Isak leaves. Newcastle said Isak, 25, didn't travel to Singapore with the rest of the squad due to a "minor thigh injury". Team-mate Dan Burn told Sky Sports that the departure of any player at this stage of the window would "upset a tight-knit group", while captain Bruno Guimaraes said Newcastle "want to keep our best players". "He is a top striker, his [record over the] last three seasons speaks by itself, he's a top player," Guimaraes said. "But as far as I know he just stayed there because of his injury, his treatment with the club." Isak scored 27 goals in 42 appearances across all competitions for Newcastle last season and his exit would leave the north east outfit severely lacking options in the final third. Newcastle stutter in striker pursuit Callum Wilson left St James' Park on a free earlier this month and 21-year-old Will Osula - who registered twice in 19 outings last term - is the only other senior striker available to Eddie Howe. Newcastle are preparing to fight on multiple fronts in 2025-26 after securing a return to the Champions League, but have been slow in strengthening their squad during the off-season. They have fallen short in their pursuit of reinforcements with targets Joao Pedro and Liam Delap joining Chelsea, while Hugo Ekitike preferred a move to Liverpool. Forward Anthony Elanga is the only new addition to Howe's ranks after completing a £55m switch from Nottingham Forest. A move for Yoane Wissa remains a top priority for Newcastle even if Isak stays put and the DR Congo forward appears open after leaving Brentford's pre-season base in Portugal this week. Latest Newcastle news, analysis and fan views Get Newcastle news sent straight to your phone

OGC Nice's Mohamed Ali-Cho to miss start of season
OGC Nice's Mohamed Ali-Cho to miss start of season

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

OGC Nice's Mohamed Ali-Cho to miss start of season

OGC Nice's 2024/25 campaign ended in qualification for the preliminary rounds of the UEFA Champions League, however, it wasn't a season without significant challenges. An injury crisis gripped the club and only began to abate at the end of the campaign. The next season will start in the same vein. Nice will face SL Benfica in the third round of Champions League qualifying on 6th August, however, they will do so without a number of first-team players, Franck Haise has confirmed. Mohamed Ali-Cho will miss the start of the season, Haise told . Sofiane Diop and Moïse Bombito will also miss the start of the campaign. The former underwent surgery on a sports hernia injury at the end of June. Nice will also be without Youssouf Ndayishimiye and Mohamed Abdelmonem, both of whom suffered ACLs towards the end of the season, and Tanguy Ndombélé, who also underwent sports hernia surgery over the summer. 'We are talking about six players who could start. There are also players that could leave, others that will arrive. Are we more armed? I don't have the response,' Haise said. GFFN | Luke Entwistle

WSL Fans Can Now Drink Pitch-Side, Premier League Fans Still Banned
WSL Fans Can Now Drink Pitch-Side, Premier League Fans Still Banned

Forbes

timean hour ago

  • Forbes

WSL Fans Can Now Drink Pitch-Side, Premier League Fans Still Banned

Chloe Kelly and Alex Greenwood of WSL teams Arsenal and Manchester City, respectively, and England ... More (Photo by) This season, seven Women's Super League clubs—Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton, and the London City Lionesses—will allow fans to drink alcohol in their seats. No spirits smuggled in hidden flasks. No sprint-finished pints during half‑time. Just… sipping in your seat, watching the football. Like a normal person. Why? Because, last season, a pilot in the second tier (now WSL2) let fans drink in view of the pitch. Over 50,000 people took part, 66 percent supported the policy, and there were zero reported incidents. No fights. No pitch invasions. In fact, match officials reported no change in fan behaviour whatsoever. The verdict? It passed muster—and now it's expanding to the WSL's biggest clubs. That means the women's game is being trusted with something men's football still won't offer. Since 1985, drinking alcohol in view of the pitch has been banned in men's professional football in England and Wales, a relic of moral panic amid rampant hooliganism. Whereas, in women's football, it seems you don't need flares, hate‑crime chants, or some 2,000 arrests a year to generate 'passion'. You can have space for kids, decent food, and a glass of wine that doesn't taste like it came from the darkest corner of a petrol-station stock room. All while supporting great football. Record growth only sharpens the point. WSL attendance hit 902,000 this season. Arsenal Women now average over 30,000 at Emirates Stadium. Last day derbies at Old Trafford and the Joie Stadium sold out. The audience is here, and so are the expectations. Arsenal supporters celebrate Arsenal's women team victory of the UEFA Champions League during ... More celebrations outside the Emirates Stadium, in London, on May 26, 2025. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP) (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images) Naturally, there's a strong business consideration, too. Alcohol money already flows into women's football. Asahi Super Dry, in particular, has made a major commercial move in both men's and women's football this month, signing a multi‑year global partnership with Arsenal and taking over as the club's Official Beer Partner. Through the season, Asahi UK will have exclusive beer, ale, and cider pouring rights at Emirates Stadium, and the deal will likely land Arsenal £3-4 million ($4-5 million) per season, not just from the brand deal, but primarily from matchday pouring rights. Manchester City operates under the same Asahi umbrella—official beer across its men's and women's sides, reinforcing a coordinated global licensing strategy. Financial details weren't disclosed, but insiders point to a comparable deal range. Meanwhile, Heineken, UEFA's long-time Champions League sponsor (extended through 2027), has integrated the women's game since 2021, covering the UEFA Women's Champions League and Women's EURO tournaments. While the exact spend for women's football isn't public, it's clear Heineken views the investment as core to its broader European football strategy. To reckon with these numbers: Arsenal's sponsorship portfolio for women's football (already funded in the low millions) now includes a pouring partner that expects to recoup sales. Markets like these don't invest unless they see a return. If giving fans a pint means more respect—and revenue—for and from the fans, then the WSL isn't just pioneering, but outpacing the men's game entirely. Turns out you can grow a sport, please your sponsors, and treat fans like adults in football, after all. Raise a glass accordingly.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store